ADHD in the News 2018-12-13

Older Sibling With Autism or ADHD Raises Risk for Younger Children

In this study using 2 sets of population-based medical records, researchers found that children whose older brother or sister had autism were 30 times more likely to receive the same diagnosis and 3.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than children whose older sibling did not have either disorder. Led by Meghan Miller, PhD, of the University of California, Davis MIND Institute, the team discovered that similarly, children with an older sibling who had ADHD were 13 times more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis and 4.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than children in the control group, they wrote in JAMA Pediatrics.

The Australian Atlas for Healthcare Variation, released today, shows around 14,000 prescriptions were dispensed per 100,000 children aged 17 and under in 2016-17, compared with around 11,000 in 2013-14...So far, we have found only one in four children who met full ADHD criteria were taking medication at age ten. So it looks like, if anything, more children with ADHD should be referred for assessment and consideration of management options.

There May Be A Link Between Mom’s Postpartum Depression & ADHD In Kids, Study Says

A new study is highlighting why people need to continue building awareness around mental health, though, after finding that there may be a link between mom's postpartum depression and ADHD. This doesn't mean moms are to blame, but points to the importance of caring for moms' postnatal mental health.

Avoiding Tasks and ADHD

ADHD is a condition that’s as much about what you don’t do as what you do. Avoiding tasks that are unpleasant or simply uninteresting is a common sign of ADHD. The DSM diagnostic manual refers to this symptom as avoiding “tasks that require sustained mental effort.” Many people with ADHD report that it extends to tasks that are just tedious, like household chores, even if they don’t require a brilliant cognitive effort.

Air Force Admits Nearly 2,000 Airmen Under Medical Waiver Policy

The U.S. Air Force has admitted nearly 2,000 recruits on medical waivers for eczema, asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other learning disabilities since a new medical policy went into effect nearly two years ago, according to recent statistics from the Air Force Surgeon General's office...More than 880 applicants received waivers for ADHD or a learning disability, the most given out for any condition.

Some hyperactive kids may have sleep apnea, not ADHD

When Kian Yazdani was in Grade 1, it was clear something was wrong. He was often upset in the morning, and his teachers reported that he had angry outbursts at school. Doctors suggested ADHD as the culprit, but Melody Yazdani wasn’t so sure. Noting that her son had dark circles under his eyes, she started doing her own research.

How Cisco’s Former CEO Turned A Secret ‘Disability’ Into His Greatest Strength

During a recent conversation with legendary Cisco CEO, John Chambers, he leaned closer to me and said, “My hands sweat to this day when I talk about it.” It is growing up with dyslexia. Chambers can speak confidently to an audience of 10,000 people with presidents or prime ministers by his side, but talking about dyslexia still brings up painful childhood memories of kids laughing in class when he tried to read.

High-Dose Antipsychotics Raise Kids’ Risk of Unexpected Death

Investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, found the risk of death associated with off-label antipsychotic use at doses higher than 50 mg in patients age 5 to 24 years was 3.5-fold greater than their counterparts not receiving antipsychotics. Child and adolescent psychiatrists already exercise "a great deal of caution" when prescribing antipsychotics in young people and can refer to guidelines for evaluation and monitoring when using these drugs, lead author, Wayne A. Ray, PhD, professor, Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, told Medscape Medical News.